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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Midwest dominates with 7 of top 10. That alone makes it worth considering. 7 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive. We analyzed 286 cities across the country to build this ranking using 2026 federal data. Toledo, OH t…
Rent ranges from $1,060/mo in Toledo to $3,478/mo in Sunnyvale — a monthly difference of $2,418, or $29,016 per year.
Toledo (index 83) and Sunnyvale (index 212) sit 129 points apart on the cost index — proof that the US is far from monolithic in affordability.
7 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive.
The race is tight: Toledo, Detroit, Akron, Shreveport, Jackson are all within 1 points of each other. At this level, differences in rent, taxes, or a single category can sway the decision.
Midwest dominates with 7 of top 10. That alone makes it worth considering. 7 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive. We analyzed 286 cities across the country to build this ranking using 2026 federal data. Toledo, OH takes the #1 spot with a cost index of 83 and rent of $1,060/month.
Toledo is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,060/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 83. Income sits at $47,532. That tracks.
The utilities sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 78 (the top-10 average here) means utilities costs are about 22% below the national median. Toledo leads at 76, followed by Detroit (78) and Akron (78). Note: a low utilities index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
$2,418/mo rent gap across the ranking. Rent ranges from $1,060/mo in Toledo to $3,478/mo in Sunnyvale — a monthly difference of $2,418, or $29,016 per year. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
With that foundation in place: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 112, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. This is the kind of number that should get your attention.
Bottom line: Toledo, OH leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
#1 Ranked: Toledo, OH — cost index 83, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
$2,418/mo rent gap across the ranking
176 of 286 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Utilities Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ToledoOH | 76 | 83 | $1,060 | Details |
| 2 | DetroitMI | 78 | 84 | $1,318 | Details |
| 3 | AkronOH | 78 | 84 | $1,134 | Details |
| 4 | ShreveportLA | 78 | 85 | $1,170 | Details |
| 5 | JacksonMS | 78 | 84 | $1,283 | Details |
| 6 | DaytonOH | 78 | 85 | $1,186 | Details |
| 7 | EvansvilleIN | 78 | 85 | $1,010 | Details |
| 8 | MemphisTN | 79 | 86 | $1,234 | Details |
| 9 | RockfordIL | 79 | 86 | $1,151 | Details |
| 10 | WichitaKS | 80 | 87 | $1,125 | Details |
| 11 | ClevelandOH | 80 | 87 | $1,344 | Details |
| 12 | BirminghamAL | 80 | 87 | $1,309 | Details |
| 13 | MaconGA | 80 | 87 | $1,207 | Details |
| 14 | TopekaKS | 80 | 87 | $1,169 | Details |
| 15 | Des MoinesIA | 81 | 88 | $1,141 | Details |
| 16 | MontgomeryAL | 81 | 88 | $1,317 | Details |
| 17 | Cedar RapidsIA | 81 | 88 | $1,158 | Details |
| 18 | BeaumontTX | 81 | 88 | $1,275 | Details |
| 19 | LansingMI | 81 | 88 | $1,283 | Details |
| 20 | OklahomaOK | 82 | 89 | $1,255 | Details |
| 21 | TulsaOK | 82 | 89 | $1,207 | Details |
| 22 | St LouisMO | 82 | 89 | $1,326 | Details |
| 23 | Fort WayneIN | 82 | 90 | $1,160 | Details |
| 24 | Little RockAR | 82 | 89 | $1,171 | Details |
| 25 | AmarilloTX | 82 | 89 | $1,245 | Details |
265,304 residents · Ohio
So, Toledo. And for many people, cost index of 83, rent at $1,060/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $47,532, which is below the national median. It lines up with what you'd expect.
633,218 residents · Michigan
Here's Detroit by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 84. Rent: $1,318/month — we had to double-check this one — . Income: $39,575/year. Home price: $74,828. Population: 633,218. The strongest category is Housing at 61; the most expensive is Healthcare at 87. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,924 per year vs. the national median. That could be a concern depending on your priorities.
188,701 residents · Ohio
At $1,134/month for rent and a cost index of 84, Akron is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $48,544. It's fine. Not great, not bad. Worth a deeper look.
177,959 residents · Louisiana
Why Shreveport ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 85 on the cost index, residents save roughly 27% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,170/month while the median household pulls in $48,465/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 62, though Healthcare (87) lags behind. Home prices average $134,461 — $332,909 below the national median.
143,709 residents · Mississippi
The #5 spot goes to Jackson, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,283/month — saving renters $7,344 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 61, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 87. The 36% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
Cities are ranked by their utilities cost sub-index. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. An index of 90 means utilities costs 10% less than the national median. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Toledo, OH has the lowest utilities index at 76, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Toledo (ranked #1) has a cost index of 83 and rent of $1,060/mo, while Sunnyvale (ranked #286) has a cost index of 212 and rent of $3,478/mo — a 129-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Toledo is $1,060/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $835 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Toledo is $126,270, which is 2.7× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.